Who is Sanjay Shinde—cop who shot Badlapur rape accused
Akshay Shinde, the 23-year-old man accused of raping two nursery school girls in Badlapur, Maharashtra, was shot dead by police on Monday. The incident occurred when a team from the Badlapur Police Station had gone to Taloja jail to take custody of Akshay for another rape and assault case filed by his first wife. On their way back from Taloja jail near Mumbra bypass, Akshay allegedly snatched a constable's gun and fired at Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More.
Encounter specialist's protege
Then, Senior Inspector Sanjay Shinde fired back—critically injuring Akshay who later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. According to reports, Sanjay was part of a team led by Pradeep Sharma—the famed "encounter specialist" featured in the Netflix docuseries Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld. He served under Sharma when he headed the anti-extortion cell of Thane Crime Branch. This team was responsible for arresting underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar from Thane in an extortion case in 2017.
Sanjay's career
Sanjay, who has previously served in the Mumbai Police, is now part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the state government to probe the Badlapur rape case. His career has been marked by controversy, including an inquiry after Vijay Palande, a murder suspect, escaped police custody in 2012. Sanjay was accused of aiding Palande's escape as they were known to each other and his uniform was found in Palande's car.
Sanjay's reinstatement
Despite these controversies, Sanjay was reinstated by the Mumbai Police in 2014. Separately, the Badlapur rape case has sparked further controversy with additional charges filed against the school's chairman and secretary under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for negligence in promptly reporting the assault. Their plea for pre-arrest bail was denied by a special court and will now be heard by the Bombay High Court on October 1.
Political slugfest over Akshay's death
To recall, Akshay's death has resulted in a political slugfest in the state. The opposition has raised questions about how a handcuffed man could seize a weapon, suggesting it might have been an "encounter." Chief Minister Eknath Shinde defended the police's actions, stating that they shot him in self-defense. He criticized the opposition for questioning the integrity of Maharashtra police. However, opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar called for a judicial probe into the incident.
